


Broken

by AwkwardlyAlexandra



Category: RWBY
Genre: Action/Adventure, Backstory, Childhood Friends, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Happy Ending, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-25
Updated: 2019-07-05
Packaged: 2020-05-19 16:09:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 11
Words: 11,926
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19360309
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AwkwardlyAlexandra/pseuds/AwkwardlyAlexandra
Summary: This story focuses on Roman Torchwick and Neopolitan (who in the story towards the beginning are referred to as Lily and Ryder).This is my first time uploading a fanfiction so go easy on me lol.All characters belong to RoosterTeeth’s animated series, RWBY.





	1. The Beginning

A flash of light. “Perfect!” A woman called, peeking out from behind a big camera she held. There stood various families in front of The Brunswick Farms entrance. It was a sunny spring morning, and picture day had just come to an end.  
   
“Can we go play mommy?” Chirped a little 7-year-old brunette as she spun on her toes and smiled innocently, her big brown eyes gleaming in the sunlight. She wore a white bonnet and her favorite green dress.  
   
“Alright, Lily. But be back before dinner, okay?” Her mother said, turning around and joining her husband as well as their two other children, one boy, and one girl, into their big home.  
   
Lily Brunswick, that was her name. She carried around a small snowman toy that she clutched to her stomach at all times.  
   
“Ryder!” Lily called, making her friend jump. The nine-year-old boy turned around. His orange hair, blowing through the wind as he waved to her.  
   
“Want to play?” Lily smiled sweetly. Ryder nodded, his green eyes lighting up. She pulled on his sleeve and out they were off to play.  
   
Running in the dirt, the two chased each other through the town, giggling.  
   
An hour passed, and Lily knew it was about time for her to head home.  
   
“I’ll see you later!” Lily waved to Ryder as she ran into the large house that was stationed directly across the entrance to the farm. The ginger boy waved back to her; his smile grew wide. Entering into the house and stepping on the wood flooring underneath her dirt-covered shoes, she saw her mother gazing at her from the entrance to the kitchen.  
   
“Lily!” Her mom hugged her. “Have fun?” She asked. Lily nodded and found her seat at the dining table after taking off her shoes.  
   
She situated herself into her seat, hands tapping on the dining table. “I played with Ryder!” She giggled.  
   
“I’m sure that was fun,” Lily’s dad said with a smile, as he ate the food on his plate from the other side of the table.  
   
-+-  
   
It was getting late, so Lily’s mom tucked her into bed and turned the lamp off by her bedside, then made her way to her bed and dozed off rather quickly. Something kept Lily awake, and she wasn’t sure why.  
   
Time felt at a standstill, it was way past midnight, yet Lily could not keep her eyes closed. Maybe it was Ryder; perhaps she just had too much fun playing tag with him today.  
   
Suddenly, she heard a screech. It didn’t sound human. The petite little girl jumped out of bed, hesitantly shoving away the covers. She approached the door with a second glance around the room. She was terrified. Wrapping her hand around the door knob, she took a deep breath and turned it quietly, opening the door that creaked through the eeriness of the night. She quietly made her way down the hall and into her parent's room, where she slowly pushed the door open. Hovering over her parents were Grimm. Three of them. They were called the Apathy. When the Apathy screamed, Lily sunk to the ground, covering her ears. She felt weak; her energy was gone. She couldn’t even truly feel fear. She reached out her hand, half-heartedly, for her parents and yelled for them, but they seemed to be fast asleep.  
   
The Apathy somehow kept her parents unconscious.  
   
To Lily’s horror, the claws of the Apathy shot down onto her parents, and the young girl couldn’t help but keep her big brown eyes glued, now in fear, as she watched them finish off their prey.  
   
Seconds later, Lily felt the strength come back within her, but she was terrified. She mustered up enough courage to see if her brother or sister were okay.  
   
She ran down the hall in her pajamas and glanced into her sibling’s rooms. Both were dead in their beds. She felt a knot in her stomach, and her heart sank. She broke down into quiet sobs, all while running frantic to the front door, shaking.  
   
The door was wide open. She looked around and met a pair of familiar green eyes. Ryder.  
   
“Lily! We have to-“ Grimm started to approach from the outside and the inside.  
   
Lily was horrified, so was Ryder. She threw herself on him, and he quickly wrapped his arms around her waist. They huddled together on the floor. She couldn’t say a word; the only thing you could hear was the wretched sobs that came from her throat, as she buried her face into Ryder’s shoulder.  
   
“What do we do?” Ryder said, stifling his tears, clinging to her tight. His voice was hoarse.  
   
Suddenly, the Apathy Grimm turned away from the children and ran into the family’s opened cellar. As soon as Lily let go of the breath she didn’t realize she was holding in, the shattering of glass had sounded from inside, and the two kids ran to the cellar and pushed it closed.


	2. On The Run

“What happened?” Ryder asked the frightened girl. Her hair suddenly turned half pink. Two slivers of white hair appeared on the pink side. The other side of her hair stayed brown. One of her eyes also turned pink.  
   
“Your hair... your eyes...” Ryder said, backing up a slight bit.  
   
Lily looked at her hair and stumbled back, scared. Looking in a nearby mirror, she saw herself, she looked broken. Split down the middle.  
   
Now she didn’t only fear the fact she was alone, or the fact there were monsters in her home, she also feared herself. Was she going to turn into a monster? Or die?  
   
Ryder spoke up, sensing her fear as he saw her face go white, “Hey, it’s okay. Let’s just get out of here; we’ll figure this out later.” He said in the most comforting tone he could manage.  
   
The two children ran outside as fast as their feet could carry them, weaving their way through the fallen trees in the forest, and as far away from the town as they could get till they were out of breathe. They slumped down onto the ground to regain their composure. “Are you okay?” Ryder asked the crying girl. She kept her head down, hiding her tears, and only looked up for a moment to mouth the words, ‘Are you?’ But nothing came out of her.  
   
Ryder sighed, shaking his head no. The silence was eerily creepy, and the night breeze was chilling.Breaking the silence, “That was the Apathy,” Ryder said quietly. Lily tilted her head in confusion.  
   
“I’ve read about them. When they scream, they drain your will to live. And then, after they’re finished with you, they keep the bodies, like...” Ryder couldn’t find the right words, “Like, from disappearing. I don’t know...” he sighed.  
   
Ryder now felt the tears come. He was crying a little before, but now he was about to sob. Lily grabbed his hand with hers, clenching it tightly.  
   
She scooted next to him and patted his back. “I can’t believe it’s gone...” Ryder said through the tears.  
   
-+-  
   
9 and 11, the two were skipping towns practically every few weeks. Two children on the run, fighting for survival. They’d had almost been kidnapped, put in orphanages, and underwent a lot of pain.  
   
The two were insistent on being together, so they wouldn’t risk being put in an orphanage. And besides, in most of Remnant, the orphanages were not really up to code.  
   
“Come on, Lily, I pickpocketed last time!” Ryder sighed.  
   
“Look, it’s easy, I know reaching the coat pockets are hard but if you choose a short and idiotic looking target...” Ryder said, grabbing her hand to point to a kid, “Like that one. You can do it!”  
   
A short boy dressed in fancy clothes was walking behind his parents. Even though he was so young, his pockets looked full, and his parents looked like stuck-up entitled brats, so it was no doubt they probably gave their little angel everything he wanted.  
   
Lily nodded, taking a deep breath, she approached the boy from behind, creeping behind him without making a peep, even on the crunching gravel road. She was light and barely made a sound. She reminded herself what Ryder taught her, bump into him, sneak your arm around and into his pocket, tuck it away, and make your exit. It’s easy to take from naive kids.  
   
She fumbled into him and did just as Ryder told her, but the parents noticed her sneaky little hand.  
   
“GIVE THAT BACK YOU LITTLE BRAT!” The mother of the boy grabbed Lily’s wrist, holding her tightly, digging her claws into Lily’s arm.  
   
Lily threw the money back and tried to run away, but the lady held on. “You’re not going to get away with this!” The woman barked.  
   
Ryder ran after her, pushing himself in between the angry lady and Lily. “Hello, if I may intrude, I don’t think this little lady meant to cause any real harm,” he said, gesturing to Lily.  
   
“How about you let us be on our way, and we forget this whole thing ever happened?” His confident voice rang through the quiet streets, and he put up his hands, showing he meant no harm. Despite his confident demeanor, the parents could tell they were just broke kids. The dirt and grime that was built up on their clothes was evidence enough. Not to mention they were both incredibly frail, practically just skin and bone.  
   
“How about I get the police to arrest both of you?” The father of the boy approached, his voice full of rage.  
   
Realizing there wasn’t much of a way out of this, Ryder thought for a moment, then yelled, “Lily... RUN!” and grabbed Lily’s hand and pulled her away from them.  
   
The man was close on their tail. Lily was short, and her tiny legs couldn’t manage to get her much distance.  
   
Ryder instinctively scooped her up into his arms and ran for them both, all the while Lily wrapped her arms around him tight, clinging as her heart raced. For awhile, the man chased after them, but Ryder was smart. He took paths through alleyways, sliding underneath cars, finding tight and tricky places to get into.  
   
They knew the town inside and out despite only being there for a few weeks. The best places to hide, the safest places to be.  
   
This was a routine. They fought for survival, got yelled at, hit, punched. They ran, hid, cried.  
   
“We lost them,” Ryder was gasping for air, still holding Lily tight in his arms. Suddenly, he fell to his knees, setting Lily down gently in front of him as he tried to regain his composure.  
   
Lily propped herself up on her knees and gave Ryder a soft hug. Still breathing heavy, Ryder pulled her close, resisting the urge to cry.  
   
Lily backed up for a moment, tears welling up in her eyes.  
   
‘I’m sorry,’ she mouthed. Ryder raised an eyebrow.  
   
“That wasn’t your fault. I shouldn’t have asked you to pickpocket someone you didn’t want to. If anything, it’s my fault,” Ryder sighed.  
   
Lily shook her head no and took her hand in his. It was tiring and everything was exhausting. And they felt broken.


	3. Outfits and Identities

“That was easy,” Ryder tossed a loaf of bread to a starving Lily.  
   
“I literally snagged it right from under his nose. That guy was an idiot,” Ryder laughed.  
   
He was now 13, and she was 11. It was winter, and the nights were cold. The two barely had enough money to buy clothes, let alone food. They were both dirty and malnourished as usual.  
   
Lily still never spoke, and Ryder wasn’t sure if she was just so traumatized from the moments her family died, that she couldn’t get anything out, or if she just didn’t want to. He never asked, never pressured her. Besides, the silence was sometimes nice. And he was the ring-leader anyway, sweet talking everyone into getting what he wanted. Though, he had to admit, it was kind of sad that the only person who he was friends with in this world could never talk to him.  
   
“You know what would be fun? If we like, changed our names and got fancy clothes. I mean we’re practically wanted criminals! Why not play the part of villains?” Ryder asked Lily, who was slumped against the wall, enjoying her bread. Of course, fancy clothes were not cheap. But he knew they could steal them. Ryder was always a very ambitious person, promising Lily they’d make it big in the world and eventually be professional criminals to the point of being rich off of stolen goods, and taking back what the world stole from them.  
   
She pulled out a dry erase board and started writing. “Ryder, I’m not sure I want to be a wanted criminal.”  
   
There was good in both of them, but they both knew good wasn’t enough to keep them alive. And quite frankly, Ryder didn’t care that much at this point as he ignored most of his good intentions. He hated everyone who he’d met, except Lily of course.  
   
“I know, I know. But we’re wanted by the police now... We don’t exactly have much of a choice. We’re already criminals.” Ryder sighed.  
   
Lily held up another sign. “If we keep doing this, we’re going to end up going to jail.”  
   
“Not if we don’t get caught,” Ryder winked. “Besides, with you mastering your semblance abilities, you can disguise at literally anytime and create illusions of yourself!”  
   
Lily smiled and held up, yet again, another sign. “A new look would be nice... And since I can just generate it with my semblance, I won’t have to even steal something to get a new outfit!”  
   
“Yeah, but I will,” Ryder rolled his eyes. He sat next to her. “Changing your appearance drains your aura, though. Remember? So maybe you should get a permanent outfit,” he suggested.  
   
Lily learned how to use her semblance and figured that was how she was able to lure the Apathy Grimm away, how she was able to save them that day. She also learned about side-effects and how some had to give things up to gain their semblance. She didn’t think her original hair and eyes would’ve been that big of a deal to have been taken from her, but it earned her a lot of odd stares, and she was always looked at as some weird broken child. It didn’t help that she was very short, which made her feel even more out of place.  
   
Ryder was worried about her growth too. The two were both malnourished, but Roman was growing. He wondered if it was because she was two years younger and since their problem with lack of food started when she was so young if the damaging effects were more problematic for her.  
   
“So I was thinking, for my villain name, maybe like Roy, or Ray?” Ryder asked, breaking the silence. He wanted to keep R as the first letter.  
   
Lily narrowed her eyes and held up her board. “Eh, doesn’t suit you,” she thought for a moment, pondering many names. They went over around 20 names, trying to find one that fit his personality.  
   
“How about... Roman?” Lily suggested.  
   
Ryder’s smile quickly grew.  
   
“Perfect! So for my last name. I’m thinking of changing it from Torchiel to Torchwick. Like taking part of my last name and yours and combining it... if that’s okay with you?” He grinned.  
   
Lily nodded quickly, it was hard to think of home, but it was comforting to keep parts of it with her. She still had her favorite snowman toy as a child. It was her only thing from home.  
   
“And your new name?” He asked.  
   
She held up a sign. “Well, I was thinking Neopolitan...”  
   
Roman raised an eyebrow but then chuckled. “Like the ice cream? Look, I know you love ice cream but isn’t this a little too far?” He teased, which caused her to pout.  
   
It was true; the little girl loved ice cream. It was one of the things that reminded her of home.  
   
“I love it, okay, but I’m thinking instead of Neopolitan... I’m going to call you Neo.”  
   
Neo smiled and agreed. “So now, what store should we rob to get us some fancy new outfits?” Roman asked, a devilish smirk spreading on his face.  
   
-+-  
   
“I’m surprised nobody has recognized us yet,” Roman laughed as they went through a large assortment of clothes.  
   
“So, I’m gonna go with one particular look and just get bigger sizes so I can wear the same outfit when I’m older,” Roman smiled, grabbing a bunch of clothes and sorting through them.  
   
“Make sure you grab a few sizes bigger. I’m sure you won’t be this short forever...” Roman said, looking at how tiny the girl was. She was only around 4’3 and extremely skinny. Part of him knew she probably wouldn’t get much taller, but he didn’t want to crush the little hope she had for maybe making it to 5’0.  
   
They walked over to the shoe section with a bag full of clothes. Neo looked around, but something caught her eye. She grabbed a pair of 5-inch heels and held them up for Roman to see.  
   
“I don’t know...” Roman said uneasily. Neo sat on the ground and put them on her. One issue is they were several sizes too big, the other is that she had never walked in heels before.  
   
She stood up and tried to gain her balance, but after stepping one foot forward, she lost it and fell forward. Roman caught her in his arms and lifted her onto her feet.  
   
Neo brushed herself off, frowning, and took off the shoes. She started writing on her board.  
   
Roman frowned, “After this, we’re going to learn sign-language,” he sighed.  
   
Neo ignored him and looked at the shoes. She showed him the sign, “I don’t want to be so short. You’re so tall, and I want to be taller like you.” She looked upset.  
   
“Hey, it’s okay...”  
   
“No, it’s not!” Neo was scribbling faster and looked distressed by now. “If I’m short, everyone will think I can’t fight and make fun of me. And I literally can’t see anything because everyone towers over me and cuts off my view.”  
   
Roman sighed, thinking for a moment.  
   
“Neo, being short has its perks. The enemy won’t think you’re tough, but then you get to show them who’s boss, AND you can get into small and short places. Besides, since I’m tall, if you need to see something...” Roman stopped mid-sentence and began to laugh as he reached for Neo and lifted her above his head, “You can just use me as your ladder.”  
   
You couldn’t hear it, but Neo giggled. He set her down gently.  
   
“See, being short isn’t so bad!” He ruffled her hair. Neo nodded and went back to the shoes.  
   
“If you REALLY want heels, these will probably be easier to walk in,” Roman said, holding up a pair to her that was actually near her size. They’d probably need to stuff it with a bit of tissue paper, but it would work. Plus, they were boots, which would stay on better.  
   
The two snuck out of the store using Neo’s semblance and successfully were unseen.  
   
They went to their little hideout, which was just outside the back of an abandoned store, and changed into their brand new apparel.  
   
Neo did a little spin to show off her outfit. A gray-brown corset, a white cropped jacket, black gloves, and brown pants, all tied together with some beaded necklaces, and the shoes Roman picked out for her.  
   
“Perfect, and it looks kind of like mine!” Roman grinned. He wore a white jacket, dark brown pants, black gloves, brown shoes, and a gray handkerchief around his neck.  
   
Neo walked over to Roman and pulled him to his knees.  
   
“Hm?” Roman tilted his head as Neo shuffled through her bag, pulling out a hat and placing it on his head.  
   
She pulled out a mirror she snagged at the shop and showed him his reflection.  
   
Looking in the mirror for a second, he admired the black bowler hat that had a red fabric tied around it. “Snazzy, I like it. Thanks, Neo,” he ruffled her hair.  
   
He had to admit; it completed the professional vibe he was going for. The only thing they needed now was professional weapons. The two managed to be quite skilled when it came to combat, and they both worked extraordinarily well together, but they needed weapons to complete them.  
   
“Tomorrow, we get weapons AND a sign language book, okay?” Roman said, sitting against the wall of the store. Neo took a seat next to him.  
   
The wind was howling, and flurries of snow were falling.  
   
Neo looked pale, and her lips were blue. Roman was freezing too.  
   
“Could you come here?” Roman asked as he stood up.  
   
Neo nodded and followed him up, perplexed at his request. They didn’t plan on going anywhere, she thought.  
   
He took off his jacket and put it on her. Neo shook her head no, but Roman just let out a soft, “Please,” and kept fighting her by holding her arms still, to which she finally stopped squirming.  
   
“Thank you,” he said quietly, buttoning up the jacket for her.  
   
The jacket was too big on her, but it was cozy. She didn’t want him to be cold, though. Frowning, she made sure to let Roman see her pout, indicating she was very unhappy in the matter.  
   
Roman wrapped her into a hug. Him being 5’9 and Neo being 4’6 in the heels made the height difference all the more noticeable.  
   
Energy drained, as usual, the two broke apart to finally get some rest.  
   
And underneath their usual smirks when confronting enemies, was the two children who truly cared about each other, who’s only weakness was each other, was two broken souls, just waiting to get a moment of peace.  
 


	4. Chapter 4

They were now 15 and 17. They’d learned sign language, and they had a new little hideout. It wasn’t much, but it kept them sheltered from the rain and mostly warm.  
   
“You think we’ll ever get to live a normal life, Neo?” Roman asked her. He had a bowl of noodles in front of him that he’d barely touched.  
   
Neo signed, “I’m not sure.”  
   
Roman sighed, “I wish everything could go back to the way it was.” He remembered his mom and dad, his friends, his cozy bed and beautiful home. No mean kids, no grumpy adults, no stealing, no killing when confronted, just peace.  
   
“I miss it too.” Neo sighed, taking a seat next to him.  
   
“I’m just glad I still have you,” Roman said. “You’re all I have left in this world.” Neo raised an eyebrow. Roman was always a genuinely kind person to her, but he wasn’t one for extra sappy emotions out of the blue, especially not of recently with their ever-present problems that were bigger than ever.  
   
“You’ll always have me,” Neo signed, smiling big. “You’re my dum-dum!” She laughed silently.  
   
As cocky and suave as Roman seemed, he had a soft spot for the girl. This small, loyal person who stuck by him through the good and the bad.  
   
Roman pulled her in for a hug. She was only 4’6 without her heels now, making her 4’10 with them, and Roman was now 6’3.  
   
Roman bent down to kiss her on the head, which brought a blush to Neo’s cheeks.  
   
“I’ve got you something,” Roman smiled. He reached into his pocket and gave Neo a little keychain, an ice cream one. It was pink.  
   
“I love it!” Neo signed and giggled silently.  
   
The two sat down, and she reached for his hand and held it tight and rested her head on his arm. Things weren’t perfect, but as long as they had each other, things would be okay.  
   
In Neo’s bags were her snowman toy, and now, her keychain. The only possessions she carried that ever had sentimental value.

   
-+-

   
18 and 20, the two were as close as ever. They had their personalized weapons, the same fancy outfits. Roman still wore his bowler hat. Their crimes were larger than before, which worried both of them. It could be a cause for trouble. Sure, Roman was becoming a known criminal in the industry, which was good, but it also meant they were extremely wanted. Neo, on the other hand, lurked mostly in the shadows, and under disguises.  
   
“As I said, I don’t want people knowing we’re close. What if they use us against each other?” Roman said to her. He was right and she knew that. Survival was their goal, but so was keeping each other safe, and that wouldn’t be easy if people were trying to use them against each other.  
   
“Neo,” Roman’s voice cracked. “If the police ever found me or if I was ever killed, promise me you would stay in the shadows. Promise me you’d be safe.”  
   
It was only moments alone like this when Roman let his real emotions be shown. He didn’t need his charisma, his charm. Neo already knew everything about him and vise versa.  
   
Neo signed, “That won’t happen. I won’t let it.”  
   
Roman huffed, “I don’t want you to try to protect me Neo, if something happens, I need you to stay out of it.”  
   
It was true, as Neo grew, she felt more and more protective over him and therefore risked herself several times to get him out of bad situations. Roman always did the same for her as well. Partners in crime, since forever.  
   
Neo raised her hands to talk, but Roman interrupted her, “If something happened to you, I wouldn’t be able to live with myself.”  
   
Neo frowned. “I’d be safe, and I’m strong. I’d get you back.”  
   
Roman looked visibly distressed. “And if I died, you wouldn’t go out looking for revenge and getting yourself killed, got that?” It was almost as if he could just tell that that’s exactly what would happen if he died.  
   
Neo looked uneasy. “I’d be careful; I’ll only do that if I know that I can win.” She stopped for a moment to think. “You’re not going to do something stupid, right?”  
   
Roman laughed, “No, no. I’m just saying that we’re running into big people, bad people. And we never know what’s around the corner. I’m a survivor, so are you, but that doesn’t mean we’re always going to be safe.”  
   
Neo nodded.  
   
“All I’m saying is,” Roman looked away, he could feel his heart pounding in his chest. “You still gotta be a survivor even if something happened to me.” He wasn’t finished, but Neo signed back, “The same goes for you.”  
   
“Right...” Roman looked confronted. Neo could tell something was on his mind.  
   
The two sat side by side.  
   
“You okay?” She signed. Roman nodded, putting his arm around her to pull her close.  
   
Roman was more nervous than usual. “I don’t know if I’ve ever said it. Maybe I was scared, maybe I thought it was obvious... but I love you, you know that?” Roman said quietly.  
   
“I know. I love you too.” Neo signed, blushing.  
   
It was good to hear him say it. Neo didn’t fully understand the feelings between them, though. Was it friendship or love? Neo could barely understand her own feelings. Did she love him? She always denied it, but she couldn’t see herself with anyone else in her life. She wondered if he felt the same way.  
   
“Your heart is racing,” Roman said, his arm that was around her back could feel it pounding. “Something wrong, Neo?”  
   
Neo shook out of her thoughts, looking at him wide-eyed.  
   
She went to sign but then stopped, staring at him. His one eye that was showing glowed green, even in the moonlight. His orange hair swooping over the other eye, his eyeliner that he spent way too long on. She thought about the way he’d woo the crowds and have everyone wrapped around his finger, getting them pretty much everything they wanted, but with her, he was gentle, and sweet, and funny.  
   
Roman raised an eyebrow, confused, but stared back. Her eyes were gorgeous. A lot of people mocked her for them, but Roman thought they were perfect and unique. Just like her. Her hair fell perfectly shaping her face, pink and brown with white streaks. Roman thought she was truly incredible. A loyal companion who stuck by him, and even though she never spoke, he could still read her perfectly.  
   
“You know, you’re really pretty. I don’t get why people don’t like your hair and eyes,” He spoke up, breaking the silence.  
   
Neo almost pulled away, a little surprised. Her eyes looked quickly to her feet, trying to make it less awkward.  
   
“Now, don’t be all distant with me,” Roman laughed, putting on his signature smirk and tilting her chin up so that she was looking at him again, which made Neo crack a smile.  
   
“There’s that beautiful smile that I love,” he said, which made her cheeks turn as pink as her hair.  
   
There were a few seconds of silence, both in their thoughts, pondering everything. Their feelings, their goals, the challenges they’ve fought to survive. The two were unstoppable, talented, and in sync partners. They knew each other inside and out, without words being spoken.  
   
Just like so many times on the battlefield before, without words, in perfect sync, they did exactly like the other.  
   
Closing the gap between them, leaning forward into a kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just have to say, the full version of One Thing is incredible.
> 
> Thank you.


	5. A Perfect Life

Neo was now 21, and Roman was 23. They did whatever they could to get their hands on some lien as well as dust for selling. They fought hard to make a life for themselves.  
   
They managed to get themselves an apartment. It had one bathroom, two bedrooms, and a small kitchen and living room, but it was home.  
   
Neo decorated her room, styling it into a more grown-up version of her childhood room, to remind her of home. At first, it hurt her to think of home, it brought her so much misery, but now, it was a bit easier, and she missed the comforts of her room.  
   
Roman didn’t care much about decorating his room, so he let Neo decorate it for him since he knew she enjoyed doing so.  
   
The two were finally dating. Roman had officially asked Neo to be his girlfriend shortly after the kiss, which Neo eagerly accepted his offer. It was about time too. Roman, if he was to be completely honest, had been waiting for years to finally ask her.  
   
“I know this is no extravagant life, but I hope you’re happy,” Roman said to Neo.  
   
“I am,” Neo signed, smiling and standing on her tiptoes, pulling him down a bit to give him a quick kiss.  
   
They pulled away, “Good, I am happy too. As long as I’m with you, I’m happy,” Roman smiled.  
   
“Hey, so, tomorrow I thought we should go take a walk on the beach and get some ice cream,” Roman said.  
   
-+-  
   
They’d gotten their ice cream and were strolling down the beach, hand in hand.  
   
Neo leaned on Roman’s arm. It was moments like this that she wish could last forever.  
   
“Neo,” Roman said. His heart was pounding in his chest. She raised her head off his arm and looked over to him.  
   
“As extravagant as I wanted to make this, I figured we could both use some peace for once, away from the chaos...”  
   
Neo tilted her head as he continued.  
   
“Neo,” he said, taking both of her hands. “You know I love you so so much.”  
   
Neo nodded and signed, “I love you too.”  
   
“And honestly, I’ve loved you since I met you, I was just terrible at admitting my feelings,” Roman said as they both chuckled.  
   
“You are more important than anything in this entire world to me, and I know this is a lot, for two criminals who are constantly on the run, but I can’t see me without you by my side... Neo...”  
   
Roman got on one knee and pulled out a small box. Neo felt her stomach twist as he opened the box to show a beautiful diamond ring with the words “Partners in Crime” engraved on the inside. “Will you marry me, Neopolitan?”  
   
Roman felt his heart stop when Neo stood silently in shock. I mean she was always silent, but she had a look that for once, he just couldn’t decipher. He was about to say something, to apologize for even asking, when Neo threw herself on him, kissing his lips. He fell backward, ring box still clutched in his hand, other wrapped around her waist, her arms wrapped around his neck.  
   
Roman pulled himself and her up so they’d be sitting upright and Neo broke away from the kiss, signing quickly, “Yes! I will marry you!”  
   
Breathing a sigh of relief, he slipped the ring on her finger. He bought it too, with money he’d earned by disguising himself and working at a bar.  
   
The two were married a week later. Of course, the two didn’t have friends but Junior, a fellow business partner, managed to set up a DJ, drinks, decorations, and even a cake for them out on a beautiful little field, far enough away from civilization. Roman paid for all of it, of course.  
   
The wedding was beautiful. Neo used her semblance to make herself the perfect wedding dress, and Roman stole a tuxedo. Their vows were short but sweet, and both of them, when asked if they were ready to spend their life together through thick and thin, of course, said: “I do.” Or in Neo’s case, she held up a sign that said: “I do.” They sealed it with a kiss and then danced the night away.  
   
Junior and the twins he had hired (Melanie and Miltia), were the only people who were to know about the wedding, which Roman was sure to pay a large sum of lien for him to keep it hush. Their priority was each other’s safety, and that meant they had to make sure nobody dangerous knew how close they were to each other.


	6. Cinder Fall

Two years later...  
   
During a peaceful night, outside of Junior’s club, a woman named Cinder Fall approached Roman Torchwick.  
   
Neo was out of sight, but she was watching.  
   
“Well,” Roman smirked, approaching Cinder. “Hello, gorgeous.” He chuckled.  
   
Neo rolled her eyes at his attempt at a suave comment and stayed put. The comment didn’t make her mad; she knew Roman’s tactics, and could tell he felt nothing for Cinder. He’d never feel anything for anyone except her.  
   
“I’m not here for your flirtatious attempts, Torchwick,” Cinder placed her hands on her hips.  
   
“Eh, well you’re not my type. A little too tall, sweetheart,” he chuckled. “So, what do you want?” Cocky and charismatic as usual. Neo couldn’t help but smile at his comment about her height.  
   
“You see, I just so happen to be in business with… some very powerful individuals. One of which, happens to be Lady Salem. And I can assure you that if you don’t cooperate, she will make sure you get a proper punishment...” Cinder smiled nefariously.  
   
Roman was taken aback. Salem? Salem was the most powerful being in Remnant. Not many knew of her, but he did. He knew of the awful things she could do to both him and Neo, and he wasn’t willing to risk their survival. After all, he couldn’t afford to lose the one thing he had in this world.  
   
After sealing the deal with a handshake, Roman knew that if they turned down the very forced invitation, they’d die, but if they accepted, there might not be a chance to escape the challenges that awaited.  
   
-+-  
   
Later...  
   
Things were going as planned, but Roman was angered to be informed he’d have to go to jail for this plan. It all didn’t make sense, but he wasn’t about to complain. He feared Cinder Fall. And most of all, Salem. He didn’t know much about Salem or their plans in general, but he wasn’t about to risk his and Neo’s life.  
   
Neo wasn’t very happy either. She’d have to work with Cinder and the two brats and pretend to be a schoolgirl at Beacon Academy. All because they needed a fourth member and she was apparently the only one they could come to. At least she’d get to kick some teenager’s butts. It was always fun winning a good fight.  
   
-+-  
   
Everything was going according to the plan, and Roman was hoping he’d be busted out of jail soon. He wasn’t exactly counting down the days, but he knew if the plan was on schedule, he’d be out soon. He was more than ready to see Neo, it had been way too long, and he missed her immensely.  
   
Suddenly, the door to his cell opened.  
   
“Well, it’s about time.” Roman’s face leaned into the light.  
   
He got up from his jail cell and grabbed his cane (that also doubles as a gun!), which he referred to as ‘Melodic Cudgel’ and his hat from Neopolitan.  
   
“You always come to my rescue, don’t you?” He said, pulling her into a hug and kiss. It had been too long since she saw him. They missed each other a lot.  
   
“Come on, sweetheart. We’ve got the chaos to ensue!” Roman could feel the ring under his glove and Neo kept hers under her glove as well. Taking her hand, the two ran off to steal an airship. Thankfully, Cinder was still blind to the fact they were in a relationship. Everything was going perfect.  
   
A few moments later...  
   
On the aircraft they had stolen, Neo and Roman were intent on getting things back to the way that it used to be. Once they left Cinder’s faction, they could go back to their simple life of crime and no plots to take over the world.  
   
“Soon it’ll just be you and me. Living the life,” Roman smiled.  
   
Neo looked nervous.  
   
“Let’s put this thing on autopilot,” Roman said chuckling, as he clicked a button.  
   
He walked over to Neo. “It’s good to be back.” Neo hugged him.  
   
“I have something to tell you,” she signed.  
   
“What is it, sweetheart?” Roman asked, kissing her head.  
   
She took a big breathe; her heart was pounding out of her chest.  
   
“Calm down, what is it?” Roman tilted her chin up so he could meet her eyes.  
   
Neo raised her shaking hands. “Maybe we should finish the mission first actually, I’ll tell you later…”  
   
“Neo, come on. I’m all ears,” Roman said, raising an eyebrow.  
   
Neo took a deep breath, looking conflicted. She raised her hands to sign. “Roman,” she glanced around the room, “I’m pregnant…”  
   
Roman’s eyes widened and his mouth dropped ever so slightly.  
   
“With twins.”


	7. Broken

Roman felt his heart stop for a moment. Sure, Cinder wasn’t really a threat to Neo’s safety, especially since the job was running smoothly, and Roman would probably be able to get out of the situation, but still. It was a lot to take on one child with their life of crime, let alone two.  
   
Neo looked a little upset for a second, almost worried.  
   
“Ok,” Roman said firmly.  
   
“Then we leave right after we finish this and you and I pack up. We go to a quiet corner of Remnant, and we raise our two kids. Cut the life of crime, well, the big crime, go with disguises, get real money for ourselves,” Roman said.  
   
Neo took a long sigh of relief. “I know we talked about a family, but I thought you’d be stressed if it was this soon,” she signed.  
   
“I’ll be stressed either way,” Roman laughed. He bent down to gently pat her stomach and kiss her forehead. He was never fond of kids, but he knew he’d love his own, especially since they’d also be mini Neo’s.  
   
“Good luck fitting two children into such a small woman,” he laughed.  
   
Neo smiled, as long as things went smoothly on this last deal, the two would finally live in peace.  
   
“I want you to know I am very excited, but I’ll be more excited once we finish this task at hand,” Roman said, getting back into his seat. “You, me, two kids, living the life.” He corrected his earlier statement.  
   
-+-  
   
Moments later...  
   
Neo made her way to the top of the airship, checking on the big thump they heard. She didn’t expect for it to be Little Red, but she knew it wouldn’t be a problem taking her down. If she could beat her older sister that easily, Ruby would be a piece of cake. ‘Last mission,’ she thought to herself contently. Smirking, she held up her scroll, taking a picture of Ruby and sending it to her husband, with the caption, “Guess who?”  
   
Moments later...  
   
Roman and Neo were wiping the floor with Ruby. Honestly, Neo felt a bit bad for having to kill Ruby to get this over with. It was too bad Little Red didn’t know when to quit.  
   
“You can’t stop them! I can’t stop them!” Roman was taunting Little Red, also known as Ruby Rose, as she dangled from the ship that was above the chaos that was going down in Beacon Academy. Neo’s parasol, her weapon of choice, was pointed towards Ruby, ready to hit her target as soon as Roman stopped talking. Smirking wildly, Neo was having quite a bit of fun with this. Ruby had been problematic and almost stopped their plans several times and could’ve gotten her husband killed.

So finishing the seemingly easy task, and ditching the life of crime was her only focus now. Shaking herself from her thoughts, she turned back to the events that were unfolding.  
   
Roman with confidence was schooling Ruby on life, “You know the old saying if you can’t beat ‘em...”  
   
But Ruby surprised them both by being smarter than usual, and clicked the button on Neo’s parasol, opening it, and sending Neo into the air and off the ship. Clutching to her parasol, Neo gasped.  
   
“Neo!” Roman yelled instinctively, an arm outstretched for her.  
   
“We will stop them! And I will stop you. Bet on that!” Ruby launched towards Roman, but he was stronger. Now though, he was angry. He knew Neo would be okay, she was a tough girl, yet he worried about the Grimm that was flooding Beacon.  
   
Nonetheless, she also was carrying kids. This was supposed to go off without a hitch. He had no idea that Ruby would’ve posed such a threat to him and his pregnant wife. The last part of the plan was supposed to be simple and lack the element of danger.  
   
All his composure seemed to leave him instantly. All because some brat little kid had to go and try to ruin everything. Roman was clever, but now his mind was spinning and his anger was blazing, causing him to lose his usual intelligence.  
   
“You’ve got spirit Red. But this is the real world!” He didn’t care that he started showing emotion; it didn’t matter to him. Neo was what mattered to him. He swung his cane at Ruby in burning anger. There was pain. Flashbacks to his family, to Neo’s family. She wouldn’t speak after what she witnessed. She wouldn’t be the same. Roman had to watch her struggle to constantly be strong while trying to be strong himself.  
   
“The real world is cold!” He thought about the cold nights he and Neo had to endure, as they shivered in the snow. He loved her.  
   
“The real world doesn’t care about spirit!” He loathed the world and its cruel inhabitants. They never were kind to him, so he was just as cruel back.  
   
“You wanna be a hero?” There were no heroes. Not in Roman’s life. No- that was a lie, Neo was his hero. “Then play the part and die like every other huntsman in history!” He gave her another whack with his Melodic Cudgel. He’d always do what he had to do to survive. His life was his number one priority, other than the woman who was who knows where floating into a courtyard full of Grimm. But he knew he had to focus on himself to get back down to her.  
   
The thought of their families, the thought of Neo being in danger, to lose the one, now three things (since she was pregnant with twins) that were precious to him, it all contributed to what happened next.  
   
“As for me, I’ll do what I do best! Lie, cheat, steal, and survive!” He brought his cane up, but before it could come down, he was swallowed whole by a Griffon.  
   
-+-  
   
Neo crashed into the ground. She was mostly fine, just out of breath. There was one issue, though, the Grimm surrounding her. As she managed to knock them down one by one, she knew her aura was depleting. Nothing too major, though. Her clothes were torn and tattered, and her hair was a mess from the wind, but other than that, she was fine. She ran to a safe spot when she saw the ship burst into flames.  
   
At first, she gasped, then she felt her heart sink. She pulled out her scroll.  
   
“Roman, is everything ok?”  
   
She waited a minute but quickly grew impatient.  
   
“Hey, you there?”  
   
She tapped her fingers nervously on the ground.  
   
“Roman, please answer me.”  
   
Another minute went by.  
   
“Please, please. I can’t lose you. I love you.”  
   
The tears that were beginning to form in her eyes finally left them and streamed down her face.  
   
She wanted to look for him to find him. But she knew it wasn’t just her she was supposed to take care of now. She had to be extremely careful.  
   
She disguised herself, staying low, away from the Grimm while sending him more messages.

“Roman, please. You’re all I have.”

“Please please respond.”

“I can’t lose you.”

It’d be hard keeping the Grimm away because she was a wreck of emotions, sobbing in agony. But she managed to get by, finding the airship. She dug under it, pushing away at the rubble, all the while choking on her sobs. He wasn’t there, but a giant Griffon was.  
   
She heard gunshots from inside the Griffon. No way, he couldn’t be... She grabbed her parasol and slashed the Griffon carefully, making sure not to go too deep. Out came Roman, rolling onto the ground, but he didn’t look so good.  
   
Neo ran to him and plopped onto the ground. She pulled him onto her legs and examined him. A giant hole was through his chest, in addition to a multitude of other cuts. He was sickly pale. Who knew what the inside of a Grimm was like to have caused something like this?  
   
She pulled him close, sobbing.  
   
“Neo...” Roman could barely get out.  
   
Neo put pressure to his wound, all the while panicking, shaking, and trying to control her sobs.  
   
“Neo, I’m not going to make it,” Roman reached to touch her cheek. “No doctor can fix this.”  
   
Neo knew he was right, it was too deep, and in seconds he’d be gone. But still, she shook her head no, pulling him closer with one hand while her other was on the wound. Unable to accept the fact she’d lose the only person she needed, her entire world.  
   
“Neo,” He could barely get anything out, “Please. Get out of here.”  
   
Neo swallowed hard and opened her mouth. She didn’t know if she could, she hadn’t for years. But she had to try.  
   
“I-“ Neo’s voice was hoarse and shaky. Roman’s eyes widened ever so slightly.  
   
“I love you, Roman.” She whispered it, barely audible, scratchy. But he heard it.  
   
“I love you too, Neo.” He choked out, reaching his hand up to wipe away her tears. Neo knew this was it. Through the uncontrollable sobs, she kissed him goodbye, holding him tight in her arms, and with that, his eyes closed, and his breathing stopped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is not the end of the story. But poor Neo :(


	8. Chapter 8

Neo looked at him, crying profusely, clutching to his lifeless body. The ship was in flames; the school was in chaos. This was partially their doing, and yet they had no other choice.  
   
They were cruel, but they would never have gone this far. Now, the only thing she ever loved was dead in her arms. She’d never felt more broken.  
   
Setting him down and rising to her feet, vision disoriented and her body fatigued, she put her hand on her stomach, she knew she had to get out of there. So she ran.  
   
As soon as she got back to her apartment, she flopped on the bed and cried and cried. He was gone.  
   
He’d never see their children. And that killed her inside.  
   
-+-  
   
Days past, her pain only grew with every moment he was gone. He was her family; he was her everything. What started as pain from her broken heart, turned into anger, blame and resentment.  
   
She didn’t know if Red was alive. But she knew Cinder was.  
   
She was in her third trimester now. She had regular check-ups from doctors in her disguised form. As much as Neo wanted to be happy, she was miserable.  
   
Neo knew giving birth would drain her aura to the point of being unable to keep her disguise, so she had Melanie and Miltia, the twins who work at Junior’s bar, help her while she was in labor. Of course, she paid them good lien to help her with the process.  
   
She gave birth to two beautiful baby girls. She named them Vanille and Cocoa. Vanille had one bright green eye, while the other was pink, and Cocoa had brown eyes.

When Melanie and Miltia placed the babies in Neo’s arms, for just a moment, a single moment, she was at peace. Happy. Smiling.

She went to the hospital a couple hours after her birth, driven by Melanie, and the babies were perfectly healthy.  
   
-+-

The first day was both beautiful and exhausting. Neo didn’t have anyone to support her with this so she did everything herself. Before her third trimester she’d bought everything her kids would need. She still couldn’t bring herself to go into Roman’s old room before they got married, so she instead turned the master bedroom into a nursery, figuring that her being closer to the kids would be a smart idea. 

Neo’s money was fleeing quickly however, and that’s when it dawned on her she would need a job to support two children. So Junior was kind enough to offer her a job behind the counters. Between that and a few simple side missions (mostly pickpocketing and easy steals), she managed to make enough to support both her and her children.

-+-

Rocking Cocoa to bed, since her twin was already in dreamland, Neo hummed quietly, trying to soothe Cocoa’s whines.

Neo loved them. They reminded her of Roman. But her struggles were still there. She still silently cried herself to sleep every night.

‘I’m a failure for a partner, a failure for a wife, and now, I’ll surely be a failure for a mother.’ She thought to herself.

Neo couldn’t do it alone, and she was worried she’d never be able to provide the perfect life for these kids without Roman around. He kept her feeling like she was on top of the world, and without him, she felt nothing.

-+-

Morning’s were difficult for Neo. If the nightmares weren’t enough for her, the crying was. She’d wake up early, with no sleep, bags under her eyes. Get the kids dressed and fed. And then the babysitter who had no knowledge of who she was would arrive and then she’d leave for work. Then she’d come home, spend time with her kids, put them to bed, and cry. It was a routine that never ended, and although she would fight tooth and nail for these kids, she still would always feel broken.

-+-  
   
She was still angry about everything. And that anger grew with every passing day. To deal with it, she trained. Her fighting style, her strategies and her semblance. She dreamt about the day she’d get her revenge on Cinder Fall.  
   
One day she asked the babysitter if she could be a live-in nanny for awhile. The feeling of hate eating away at Neo wasn’t healthy for a mother to have and she knew the only way she’d be able to continue through her life was to get her revenge.  
   
She hugged Vanille, who now had a bit of fluffy orange hair. Then she hugged Cocoa, who had half brown and half pink hair that was growing rapidly. The two were beautiful babies, and Neo could barely say goodbye. But she kissed them on their heads and promised she’d be back, even if the babies couldn’t understand her.


	9. A Visit Home

And Neo made it to Cinder. Anger blazing, temper rising, hatred seeping out of every inch of Neo’s being, even if that wasn’t very many inches.  
   
“I don’t have time for your misplaced blame girl,” Cinder huffed. “I didn’t kill your boss.”  
   
Neo could feel the anger rise. Boss? BOSS?! Was she that stupid? How about her best friend? How about the love of her life? How about the person she was supposed to start a family with? That was all gone because of her.  
   
-+-  
   
Neo knew fighting Cinder was risky, but she had a chance to win until Cinder Fall revealed she was the Fall Maiden. Neo heard the stories, the legends, but she didn’t know it was true till now.  
   
Cinder had her backed into a corner again. So Neo agreed to help her kill Ruby Rose. She didn’t WANT to kill Ruby, but she did play a part in Roman’s death so she wouldn’t mind it so much either. But it was Cinder who she blamed. She forced them into this.  
   
Now, she knew Cinder would kill her if she didn’t kill Ruby. And if Cinder was smart, she might find out about her kids, which was the last thing she wanted. So she did what any reasonable person would. Gain Cinder’s trust, kill Ruby Rose, and then get her revenge when Cinder leasts expects it. Or at least, that would be her plan.  
   
After Cinder explained her plans, the relics, Salem, and everything else, they stole an airship.

Neo hoped Cinder would be just as naive as ever.  
   
-+-  
   
Neo sported a new outfit, one that was inspired by Roman. His hat and his scarf. She also kept the green eyeshadow she’d started to wear a few years back which matched the color of his eyes.  
   
While digging through her backpack she had on the airship, she found the ice cream keychain he gave her years ago, making her eyes fill with tears, which she quickly brushed away. She added it to her outfit, trying to incorporate as much of Roman as she could into her upgraded wardrobe.  
   
Cinder and Neopolitan were now on their way to Atlas. Neo was determined to kill Ruby to gain Cinder’s trust (and to spare her and her children from Cinder’s wrath) and then be able to finally kill the woman, hoping it would end some of the suffering.  
   
“How close were you and Roman?” Cinder asked the girl who was reading a book.  
   
Neo didn’t want to talk about Roman, not with her. So she just shrugged carelessly.  
   
Ignoring Neo’s response, Cinder started to panic. Neo shot her an inquisitive look.  
   
“We’re having issues with the engine. This is bad,” Cinder huffed.  
   
“We’re going to have to land on uncharted territory, possibly miles away from any nearby town.”  
   
-+-  
   
After successfully managing to pilot the aircraft to the ground, they knew they’d have to walk to the nearest town to find something to fix the engine.  
   
“It’s snowing, might want to put on those snow boots,” Cinder said, taking a glance down to see Neo’s heels.  
   
Neo ignored her, opening up the aircraft and looking around.  
   
Cinder sighed. “Nearest town is about a mile north; we’ll be lucky if we don’t freeze to death.”  
   
At that, Neo used her semblance to give herself a big fluffy coat.  
   
Cinder sighed, “Let’s go.”  
   
Strutting through the snow, Neo found the whole area oddly familiar. ‘Must’ve been a place Roman and I camped out at before or something’ she thought to herself.  
   
But as they neared, to Neo’s horror, she saw something she never thought she’d find. The entrance to the Brunswick Farm.  
   
Neo stopped, instinctively, and stared at it in disbelief.  
   
“What is it?” Cinder sighed, looking back at the girl who looked like a deer in the headlights.  
   
Neo shook out of her thoughts. She didn’t want to tell Cinder anything about herself and Roman. She put on a fake smile, continuing forward.  
   
“Okay...” Cinder muttered under her breath, following Neo into the town.  
   
“You take the main house up there, I’ll take this one,” Cinder said gesturing to a house on the left. Neo nodded.  
   
Of course, of all houses Neo would have to search, it’d be her own. She put her hand on the doorknob, taking a deep breath. She opened it, heart racing.  
   
She could tell someone had been there, probably in a similar situation as them.  
   
She walked over to a picture on the wall. Everyone from the farm was smiling wide in front of the entrance. Flashing back to the events, she closed her eyes tight. She shed a single tear, then scanned her eyes over to her family, and then to young Roman. She lost everything here, and when she finally had something to live for, she lost that too. Trailing her hand over the photo, she resisted the urge to break down right then and there. Everything she loved and lost in one picture. Other than the two children that were sitting at home.  
   
-+-  
   
“Alright, I’ve got what I need to fix the engine. Let’s get out of this creepy place,” Cinder said.  
   
Neo looked over to the main house, then to a house on the right. She looked sad, but quickly realized Cinder was watching her, so she put on another smile.  
   
“Let’s go.”  
   
After the engine was fixed, it was only a matter of time before they arrived in Atlas with their disguised aircraft.


	10. What A Sweet Release

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter features some of the lyrics from Neo’s theme song, “One Thing”

Flash forward to Atlas...

After successfully sneaking in to Atlas during some commotion (that Cinder and Neo were unaware of), they made their way through the kingdom, using Neo’s illusions to get them everywhere.  
   
“Team RWBY and friends will be looking for the relic. I need to get it before they do and you need to kill Little Red. Got it?” Cinder asked.  
   
Neo nodded but then brought out a notepad. “Do the relics do anything besides grant you unimaginable power?” She wrote.  
   
“Well, I’ve heard they each have different abilities. I don’t know exactly what they do,” Cinder stated.  
   
Neo scribbled quickly, “Which relic is here in Atlas?”  
   
“Creation,” Cinder said.  
   
“Also, Neo, we might have a few other’s in Salem’s team joining along too.” Cinder wasn’t exactly working with Salem at this point since her “death”, but she figured they’d be coming around for the relic. Cinder wanted to not only kill Ruby, but to regain Salem’s trust by retrieving the relic.  
   
-+-

Later...  
   
“Yes, Winter, we’ll be fine. I don’t think anyone’s even here.”  
   
Cinder heard the voice, rising to her feet. She tapped Neo with her foot, causing her to awaken. They had camped out overnight, hoping team RWBY would bring the Maiden to them.  
   
Cinder snuck around the school to get a closer look. Sure enough, team RWBY and their friends, with the addition of Winter and another young lady, were there.  
   
The doors to the school opened. “Winter, Qrow, everyone,” James Ironwood welcomed them, “It’s good to see you. The professor is right this way.”  
   
Neo and Cinder decided to wait till they could figure out WHERE the relic was and then to interfere. Maybe that young woman who was with them was the Winter Maiden and all they’d have to do is snatch the relic right from their hands.  
   
-+-  
   
“We need the relic,” they could overhear Qrow talking.  
   
“We brought the Winter maiden,” Weiss said, gesturing to a young woman with platinum blonde hair with purple tips.  
   
Cinder turned to Neo, “As soon as they get the relic, we go in.”  
   
Leading them into a secret room, everyone fell out of Cinder’s sight.  
   
A few minutes passed, and they returned, with the relic in Ruby’s hand. But they thought it would be THAT easy? Not a chance.  
   
“We need to get out of here before we run into-“ Qrow started. A few figures walked into the room.  
   
“Into trouble,” Qrow finished.  
   
Cinder and Neo had crept behind a large pillar, watching as Arthur Watts and Tyrian Callows walked in. Cinder knew this was her cue. “Let’s join them.”  
   
Ruby’s eyes went wide as all 4 of them walked up. Watts and Tyrian looked surprised, but Cinder shot them a glare that said to shut up. “I thought you were both dead,” she looked to Neo and Cinder.  
   
Neo’s smirk grew wider.  
   
“Let’s cut to the chase,” Cinder smiled, running up to Ruby, fighting her. Everyone started fighting, and despite Neo, Cinder, Watts, and Tyrian being up against so many, they held up quite well. Especially with Cinder’s maiden powers.  
   
“What are you doing?” Qrow yelled to the Winter Maiden who stood in fear.  
   
“I... I don’t want to fight anyone,” the girl muttered.  
   
“We are going to die if you don’t!” And yet the girl still shook her head no, scared. Clearly she wasn’t quite fit to be a maiden.  
   
Cinder, Tyrian, and Watts were now taking on everyone except Ruby, who was now cornered by Neo.  
   
“The hat, it’s Torchwick’s,” Ruby said. Neo’s anger grew, and she kicked Ruby’s weapon out of her hand and then shoved her into a wall.  
   
“I didn’t kill him. I swear, it was a Griffon, it ate him!” Ruby pleaded as she was backed against the wall.  
   
She mouthed the words, “I know.” Neo almost felt sorry for her but pointed the sharp blade piercing through her parasol towards Ruby’s neck.  
   
Bringing her arm back to get the job over with when Qrow jumped in front of Ruby. Neo’s blade met him.

Neo backed up a bit, shocked.

Ruby screamed, running to his side. The placement of Neo’s blade wouldn’t be fatal, but Ruby wasn’t so sure of that as she was panicking.  
   
“Let’s go!” Cinder yelled towards Neo as she ran, snatching the relic and bringing Neo out of her thoughts. Just then, Ruby activated her silver eye powers. Cinder saw it coming, which is why she was fast enough to make it out with the relic.  
   
Tyrian, Watts, and Neo close behind.  
   
-+-  
   
“Tyrian, Watts, I will bring this to Salem,” Cinder said after they got far enough away.  
   
“No! I will bring it to lady Salem,” Tyrian protested.  
   
“I retrieved it, I will,” Cinder commanded, eyes glowing with flames.  
   
Tyrian finally backed down. “Let’s go,” Watts smirked. “Our job here is not done Tyrian.”  
   
Neo could only think about the fact she almost killed Qrow. She didn’t know him, but she still found herself feeling quite bad. He sacrificed himself for the little brat. ‘Just another person Little Red almost lead to their doom’ Neo thought.  
   
-+-  
   
Cinder picked up the relic. “I wonder how we activate it,” Cinder said. “But first, we shall discuss the fact that you weren’t able to kill Ruby. Your one and only task.”  
   
Neo pulled out a notepad and pen. “I’ll kill her, don’t worry.”  
   
Cinder glared at her but then looked to the relic in her hand, rubbing it like a lamp.  
   
Suddenly, a voice sounded. “I am not a genie. This is not a lamp.”  
   
Cinder smirked, ignoring it’s annoyed tone of voice. “What are your abilities?”  
   
The mysterious voice spoke yet again, “I’m able to bring someone back from the dead.”  
   
Neo’s eyes darted over to the relic in Cinder’s hands.  
   
Cinder shook her head. “Neo, absolutely not. We aren’t using this. I won’t, and you can’t.”  
   
Cinder thought she couldn’t speak. She set the relic down, eyes fixated on Neo who looked both angry and sad. Cinder smirked. “This is Salem’s. It’s too bad you can’t bring back your dear boss but quite frankly I have bigger things to worry about.”

~Kill for kill...  
   
Neo’s anger flared up as she gave her a death stare and in an instance, Neo’s blade met Cinder’s neck and she kicked her onto the floor. 

~Eye for eye, blood for blood, it’s time to die...

Cinder looked shocked, but quickly regained her composure, attempting to change Neo’s mind. “Listen, you can start over. You can’t speak. You have no one. Come with me to Salem, and we can work together and get revenge on the person we came here to get revenge on in the first place!”

Neo wouldn’t budge, pushing the blade into her neck ever so slightly.

~Retribution tastes so sweet.

Resisting the urge to wince, Cinder spoke in her usual condescending tone. “Roman wasn’t able to give you the life you rightfully should have. With us, you won’t just be a pawn.”

Of course, that was a lie, but Cinder hoped Neo was naive.

Neo, however, was smart. And it was finally her turn to speak. She’d barely used her voice. Only to hum and softly sing to her kids as of recently, but she was going to do so even if she sounded terrible.

“He was everything to me. And I was everything to him. I wasn’t a pawn,” Neo choked out, resisting the urge to cry since it was the first time she’d spoken aloud about Roman.

~Gone’s the life that he gave, now revenge is all I crave. Retaliation’s soon complete.

Cinder’s shocked look quickly faded, however, and her tone never changed, “Clearly you are weak without him. You can’t rely on someone to be your entire world,” Cinder let out a forced chuckle, “Clearly without him you’re nothing. A nobody. Roman at least was his own person. But you, you relied on him for everything. But you could be much more than just Roman’s little friend. You could be powerful.”

~I was nowhere, I had no one, I felt nothing. Lost without a voice and on my own. Then a candle’s flame, brought a brand new name.

Neo’s anger was rising. “Yes. He was my whole life. But I was his too. We were each other’s other half. Without each other we aren’t complete. But YOU took him away from me, leaving me broken. And now I’m all alone!” Neo was yelling now.

~But now you’ve stolen everything and I’m all alone. 

Cinder spoke up again, hoping to make Neo break down and find reliance in someone else. Her manipulative tactics wouldn’t always work on everyone though. “Maybe Roman never cared about you. I never saw him evoke any type of genuine emotion towards you Neo. Maybe you’re a little misgui-“

~What a sweet release, when you Rest In Peace.

“Shut up. You didn’t need to see him evoke any emotion because the only person he had to prove that he loved me to, was me. And he did. But you’ll never know what that feels like, will you Cinder?” She smirked, tone changing to a more confident one.

“You’ve never had anyone love you. And you. Never. Will.” And with that, Neo’s blade was redirected to Cinder’s chest, and she was killed. 

~Vengeance, justice, finally mine. And I’ll watch you fall.

Neo then snatched the relic and disappeared.


	11. Together Again

Neo teleported as far as she could without completely killing her aura, and ran as fast as she could, worried the other’s might somehow find out and catch up with her.  
   
Relic in hand, she spoke up.  
   
“Please, bring back Roman.” Her voice cracked as she spoke, still getting used to using it.  
   
“Granted.” The voice rang, and there laid Roman Torchwick, free of any injuries, just like he was before.  
   
Neo dropped the relic and ran to his side.  
   
Roman’s eyes fluttered open. “Neo?”  
   
Neo hugged him, holding him close, crying into his shoulder.  
   
Roman hugged her back, combing her hair with his hands.  
   
“Neo, how did y-“ he was cut off by Neo grabbing the sides of his face and pulling him into a kiss.  
   
After they broke off, she continued to cry as Roman held her face in his hands, wiping at her tears. “How did you bring me back?” He asked.  
   
“I used the relic of creation. But Salem and her team might find out,” Neo choked through tears.  
   
Roman was a little shocked she was speaking. “Hey, hey, we will worry about her later. We can hide from her; it’ll be fine. How long has it been?”  
   
Neo looked sad, glancing down to her stomach. “Awhile…” He didn’t get to be there with her when she had them.  
   
Giving her a sad smile, Roman kissed her softly and Neo proceeded to wrap her arms around him once more as tight as she could, refusing to let go. Afraid he could disappear at any moment.

“I want to be with my beautiful wife and kids.” He said quietly. Neo hesitantly let go of him, but as soon as he was up and standing, she clenched her arms around him again.  
   
-+-  
   
The two returned to their apartment, arm-in-arm, and Neo and Roman were greeted by the babysitter.  
   
“Lily! Good to have you back!” The babysitter said as Neo had changed herself to have brown hair and brown eyes. The babysitter eyed Roman curiously.  
   
“Who’s this?” She asked.  
   
Neo chuckled a little, and pulled out a notepad. “Thank you for your hard work, but I think I can take care of my kids now.” She wrote, ignoring the babysitter’s question.  
   
“Well, alright. I’m happy you’re doing well,” the babysitter said, kind of confused, but didn’t want to question the mother’s very happy demeanor. She walked outside.  
   
“You chose the name Lily as your disguise?” Roman asked her.  
   
“Yeah, kind of silly. I also visited our old home, not by choice, though,” she sighed.  
   
“I wanna hear all about it. But first, I want to see my kids.”  
   
-+-  
   
30 and 32 years old...  
   
The two achieved their peaceful life, hidden from Cinder Fall. They stopped their crimes, and Neo now felt complete. She left the relic in the woods, for whoever wanted to find it.  
   
She and Roman lived in a nice home, in a quiet town, illusions always up when out and about. Their daughters were happy babies, and the two shaped up to be wonderful parents.  
   
“Goodnight Vanille, goodnight Cocoa,” Roman said as he closed the storybook and gave them kisses on their foreheads. Neo came in to tuck the kids in and walked out hand-in-hand with her partner.  
   
The two plopped on the couch and turned on the television. Neo laid her head on Roman as the family cat, Gelato, walked across the table in front of them.  
   
“I love you,” Roman smiled, looking at Neo, stroking her hair with one hand and holding her other hand. She never failed to take his breath away.  
   
“I love you too,” Neo smiled, stretching up to kiss him.  
   
They were broken, but love stitched them back together.

The end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That’s it! See, a happy ending for Gelato after all! I hope you enjoyed. Thank you for reading!


End file.
